University of Virginia Library

Manly Says
50-Year
Lease Void

Sam Manly, Executive Director of
Madison Hall, said yesterday that "insofar
as the landlord is concerned, the University's
fifty-year lease agreement for the
Madison' Hall property is and has always
been void."

Mr. Manly announced that he has
received the University's check for
$8,604, the amount due for the current
year's use of the land and building by the
University.

Speaking of two points which he
raised in his letter to University Provost
Frank L. Hereford, Jr., Mr. Manly said
that they are "essentially separate and
unrelated issues." One is the "underlying
validity or invalidity of the lease agreement."
The other has to do with the University's
"delay in payment of rent for the coming
year."

The first point, said Mr. Manly, "has to do
with whether the University has or does not
have a right to use and possession of the land
for the fifty-year term indicated in the lease."

He said the second point "runs to the issue
of whether or not the rent for the current year
has been paid." Mr. Manly said that as of
Monday, the rent has been paid, although he
added that "the landlord reserved the right to
demand additional money during the year since
the amount paid is inadequate to represent the
fair rental value of the land and building."

Mr. Manly stressed that he never doubted
"the University's good faith intention to pay at
least $8,604 this month."

Denying that he had ever retracted his
position concerning the lease's validity, Mr.
Manly explained that Leigh Middleditch,
University Legal Adviser, brought up some valid
points on Friday which the former had not
covered in research. Having studied the points,
Mr. Manly continues to "believe that the lease
agreement executed in 1959 is void."

"Although the fifty-year lease is void," Mr.
Manly continued, "the University has, nonetheless,
a right to occupy the premises from year
to year tenancy on proper notice, which we
have not, as yet, done."

He continued, saying "some of the rent for
this year has been paid, and we have no current
plans to take any additional action against the
University pending further talks."

Mr. Manly promised to make no further
statements "until the parties have had time to
negotiate the matters in dispute further."